Lieberman Forges On

You know it's shaping up to be a tough day when ``Mr. Science Guy'' -- a dude in a Hawaiian shirt overseeing a children's egg drop -- gets more enthusiastic applause than you.

That -- and a new poll showing that he's trailing Democratic challenger Ned Lamont by 13 percentage points -- is how Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman began his Thursday.

But if Lieberman was daunted by this, he certainly didn't show it.

Instead, he stayed on his message for the day -- that Washington should promote more science and math education in schools -- during a morning speech that preceded an egg drop at the Children's Museum in West Hartford.

``I hope everyone figures out how you can drop an egg and not have it crack,'' Lieberman closed his speech, adding, as if to himself, ``Then maybe you can tell me how you can be in politics and not crack up.''

It was the closest the senator got to admitting that he is rattled by his slide in popularity among Democratic voters, but his wife, Hadassah, said he feels the sting.

The poll results were all the more disappointing because of Lieberman's recent campaign blitz -- endorsements from Bill Clinton and other top Democrats, new television commercials and a statewide bus tour.

The Quinnipiac University poll shows that Lamont leads Lieberman, 54 percent to 41 percent, among Democrats who say they are likely to vote Tuesday in the closely watched Senate primary.

``All the momentum is on Lamont's side, and Lieberman has been unable to do anything to stem the tide,'' said the poll's director, Douglas Schwartz.

This means that in only two weeks, Lamont's lead over the three-term incumbent has grown from 4 to 13 percentage points, and it was enough to prompt Lamont supporters to renew their call for Lieberman to abide by the primary results if he loses Tuesday.

At a campaign rally for Lamont at the Pratt & Whitney plant in Middletown Thursday, where supporters for Lieberman and Lamont tried to out-shout each other, the Rev. Jesse Jackson made the case.

``If you don't believe in the Democratic primary, don't run in it,'' Jackson said. ``The party cannot afford to disintegrate over Lieberman's hedge politics.''

``I think on a hot day in August, who gets their voters out is going to win,'' Lamont said as he arrived at a campaign stop in Hartford's North End. ``It's heartening, but it's about getting out the vote.''

Despite Lamont's attempts to downplay the poll results, he is taking on the trappings of the front-runner.

John DeStefano Jr., one of two Democrats vying for the gubernatorial nomination, seemed happier about sharing the challenger's line with Lamont on the primary ballot.

``Ned, thank you for giving a choice to the voters of Connecticut,'' DeStefano said during a prayer breakfast at the North End Senior Center, where Jackson urged support for both challengers.

Like most of the Democratic establishment, DeStefano has endorsed Lieberman. But DeStefano's campaign staff could barely contain their glee that news of the poll broke as DeStefano and Lamont were together.

For Lieberman, the news set the stage for a challenging day.

He knew it would be difficult because, by Wednesday afternoon, Lieberman said, ``We started hearing the rumors. That prepared me.''

It also didn't help that he was fasting Thursday, not even drinking water despite the scorching temperature, because of the Jewish holiday of Tishah b'Ab.

By the time his public events began in late morning, Lieberman's lines -- and his demeanor -- were down pat. He needed those lines, because at every stop, he was cornered by swarms of reporters wanting his reaction.

First, he would try to joke about the poll -- ``I'm not elated,'' he smiled and told one group. Second, he'd explain how his own polls are ``a little bit better.'' And third, he would say, turnout is crucial.

``Voters who support me and don't want to just cast a negative vote have got to come out,'' Lieberman said. Connecting with those voters is the goal of his pre-primary push, he said.

``I want the opportunity to go out and meet people like this,'' he said. ``I want to bring it back to what it was all about, which is the future and my priorities for the future, and my record.''